11 Best [& Scariest] Asian Horror Movies

Horror has always been a rich and diverse genre thanks to the contributions of filmmakers from many different parts of the world.

Asian filmmakers, in particular, are second to none when it comes to making horror films. Over the years, directors from Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and many other Asian countries have made some of the scariest horror movies, many of which would be considered too extreme by Hollywood standards.

Here is a list of 11 of the best Asian horror movies that every fan of scary films needs to watch.

11. The Eye (Hong Kong – Singapore)

A woman who has been blind from the age of two gets her vision restored after a cornea transplant. However, she starts seeing strange supernatural entities that warn her of impending deaths. The movie is a LOT scarier than the uninspired Hollywood remake starring Jessica Alba.

10. Dark Water (Japan)

A woman moves into a rundown apartment with her daughter and encounters a series of strange occurrences. In the end, she makes a heroic sacrifice to save her daughter from the malevolent spirits that haunt the place.

9. Shutter (Thailand)

A photographer starts seeing strange images in his photographs and is convinced that he is being haunted by ghosts from his past. He learns in the end that his past sins will continue to haunt him and that there is no way out.

8. Phone (South Korea)

A journalist receives mysterious phone calls on her cell phone which prompts her to investigate about the phones previous owners leading to some startling revelations. One of the scariest asian horroe movies we have ever seen!

7. Marebito (Japan)

A man who is obsessed with fear discovers an underground area filled with ghosts and other mysterious creatures.

6. The Curse (Japan)

Perhaps the most successful found-footage horror film in Japanese movie history, The Curse breaks every stereotype of the Japanese horror genre and still manages to scare the wits out of you.

5. Audition (Japan)

A middle-aged widower tries to find a new life partner and becomes obsessed with a girl, who is not as normal as she seems. Some of the torture scenes in the movie will make you feel uncomfortable to say the least and the ending will leave you speechless.

4. Infection (Japan)

A doctor who works at a shoddy, rundown hospital makes a mistake which results in some serious death and destruction. As disgusting as it is scary, the movie has a fantastic twist that you will not see coming.

3. Ring (Japan)

A cursed videotape leads to whoever watches being killed within 7 days and it is, is passed on from one person to another, leaving a trail of victims. The film’s success spawned a number of sequels and remakes in Japan as well as Hollywood, including the version featuring Naomi Watts, which is a classic in its own right.

2. Ju-on: The Grudge (Japan)

A cursed house in which a family was brutally murdered, haunts and consumes anyone who enters it. The pale little boy ghost, which springs out of nowhere at regular intervals, will haunt you for days to come.

1. A Tale of Two Sisters (South Korea)

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A mentally disturbed girl returns home after spending time in a psychiatric ward and experiences a series of bizarre, supernatural events which involve her stepmother and younger sister. With equal parts psychological and supernatural horror elements, it is one of the best Asian horror movies of all time.

I am the founder of 9Mousai and am deeply interested in creativity and what inspires it. My main passions are writing, film and music but I have a great respect for all the arts. I'm also an animal lover and have a little cat called Winston and occasionally dabble in the odd whisky.